This invention relates to a lid for the use in combination with a beverage container and more particularly to a lid enabling drinking from the container without removal of the lid and which prevents spillage during use.
Beverage container lids adapted to fasten over the rim or lip of disposable beverage containers are well known. Such lids reduce spillage and evaporation of the beverage within the container and help insulate the contents of the container from the external ambient temperature. In their most simple form, such beverage container lids comprise a generally flat lid surface in the form of a disk having a peripheral sealing skirt for securing the lid to the rim of the beverage container. While such lids are entirely suitable for the purposes just described, they must be completely removed in order to gain access to the contents of the container.
This problem has been substantially reduced for cold beverages by providing a selectively opened straw orifice in the lid. This allows access to the contents of the container without removing the lid. Unfortunately, the use of a straw for hot beverages such a coffee or hot chocolate is generally not preferred.
Improved container lids for hot beverages which include an openable tear strip or flap have been devised. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,868,043, 3,977,559, 4,090,660, and 4,210,272. Such modified beverage container allowing limited access to the contents of the container while still covering most of the open end of the container. However, this type of lid has the disadvantage of providing a direct path from which the beverage in the container can easily spill during use.
Further improvements have been made to the beverage container lids including fold back flaps, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,411, 4,202,459, 4,322,015, 4,473,167, 4,629,088, 4,738,373, 5,090,584, 5,111,961, 5,183,172, 5,197,624 and 5,613,619. These fold back flaps and various means for securing tear strip or flap in its fully folded back configuration have been provided. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,411 discloses a container lid having a fold-back flap which includes a pull tab along its outermost edge. The pull tab may be inserted into a slit along the outermost edge of the lid to hold the flap in its fully open position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,459 discloses an embossed slot formed in the upper surface of the lid which is able to receive the peripheral skirt of the lid when the flap is fully folded back. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,015 discloses a container lid having a fold-back flap which is secured by one or more retainer studs which project upward from the upper surface of the lid. Although each of these designs is functional, there are several disadvantages, in particular, the openable flaps frequently become dislodged from their retaining means and are difficult to hold in the open position. In the case of recloseable flaps, they often do not adequately seal the opening when closed and are difficult to hold in the closed position. Moreover, it is frequently necessary to employ relatively heavy gauge or stiff materials in order to achieve a highly reliable fastening system which is more expensive. Another disadvantage results when the flaps do not tear accurately along the intended line and form sharp edges at each side of the opening thereby formed in the rim or skirt of the container lid which causes discomfort during use. Furthermore, once the flap has been released the lid edges on either side of the opening are difficult to secure to the container lip and do not make an adequate seal allowing the contents of the container to spill from these edges during normal use.
Consequently, a lid which does not have to be removed from the beverage container, does not suffer from the disadvantages discussed above and significantly reduces or prevents spillage during normal use is needed.
In accordance with the present invention a lid is provided for a beverage container, wherein the lid comprises: a top wall having a generally circular periphery; a groove extending downward from said top wall having a front side adjacent to said circular periphery, a back side more distant from said circular periphery than said front side and a drinking opening in said front side; a barrier extending downward from said top wall between and generally parallel to said circular periphery and said groove; and an annular mounting portion along said circular periphery for sealingly engaging the lid of the beverage container; said lid enabling mobility of the beverage container without spillage of a beverage.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a lid comprising; a top wall having a generally circular periphery; an annular side wall depending from the top wall about its circular periphery; a groove extending downward from said to wall having a front side adjacent to said circular periphery, a back side more distant from said circular periphery than said front side and a drinking opening in said front side; a barrier extending downward from said top wall between and generally parallel to said circular periphery and said groove; and an annular mounting portion at the bottom of said side wall for sealingly engaging the lid of the beverage container; said lid enabling mobility of the beverage container without spillage of the beverage.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a lid comprising; a top wall having a generally circular periphery; a drinking spout formed in the top wall and along a portion of said circular periphery, said drinking spout having a top side and a sloped side wall extending from the top wall to said top side; a groove extending downward from said top side of said drinking spout having a front side adjacent to said circular periphery, a back side more distant from said circular periphery than said front side and a drinking opening in said front side; a barrier extending downward from said top side of said drinking spout between and generally parallel to said circular periphery and said groove; and an annular mounting portion at the bottom of said side wall for sealingly engaging the lid of the beverage container; said lid enabling mobility of the beverage container without spillage of the beverage.
In other embodiments the lid further comprises a vent hole in the top wall adjacent to the drinking opening.
In another embodiment the combination of the lid engaged with a beverage container is provided.